Duncan Harley

It’s been nearly a year since we went to Turra Show but it feels just like yesterday to be honest. Robbie Shepherd, bless his tartan socks, was retired quite recently and Robert Lovie has taken over as commentator for what must be the biggest and most successful agricultural show on the North-east calendar. The queen attended a year or so ago and was chaperoned around the site by an attentive Bruce Ferguson. It’s a splendid event and attracts folk from far and wide intent on a day or so out from the humdrum of everyday life. Farming folk and ordinary folk from all over the UK descend on the town during the show weekend seeking livestock prizes, farming machinery brochures and, quite frankly, lots of fun. Bargains are struck, tractors and combines are purchased and, just occasionally, wedding matches are made – just as they have been for the last century and a half of the Show’s history. Show weekend begins soon. The 2018 dates are Sunday 5th and Monday 6th Au...

The blogosphere, and indeed the mainstream media, are all over the royal wedding this weekend and why on earth not. I mean, this is the media event of the decade and, if the pundits are to be taken seriously, then around 86% of the British public are lauding it for the royals. The other 14% are no doubt secretly sneaking a wee look at the endless re-runs and I know I was one of them. That is, until Janice made an appearance at which point we watched until the very end taking only a few well spent hours out to attend the BA Vintage Country Fair over at Dunecht. Then it was back for chips and a few feet up on the settee for more of the royal highlights. That’s the beauty of this digital age really. You can miss the footie or indeed the wedding of the year then do a seamless catch-up later in the day. We saw that royal kiss, or was it a pair of kisses, endless times and spotted Charles leading his future daughter-in-law down the aisle on at least a hundred news clips. Then there w...